Working Through the Worry
It was about 3:00 A.M. when my husband, Larry, was awakened by the motion light on our back deck. Investigating the situation, he woke me up as he saw the dark shadow shifting. "Look! Eileen! Hurry!" He whispered. A big black bear had made its way to our backyard and decided to get a little closer. "No way!" I said, as Larry instantaneously said, "Oh, wow!" I suspiciously looked over at him, wondering if he saw the same dangerous bear I was.
Closing in on our personal space is the threat of a global pandemic. Perhaps the Covid-19 has affected your physical, mental health, or financial stability. Many of us are hanging in the balance, rattled by the news, and responding to the unexpected danger. Together we face the same crisis. Together we can get through it, but it's also true that we are certainly not all walking through it the same way!
Why should I worry? It invades our hearts, primarily when questions deeply concern us. What will happen to the life I knew? What should I do now? Where are you, God? Many of us are held hostage to the thought that something disturbing will happen. It has the potential of robbing you of precious sleep and keeping you from needed peace. Like the bear in the back yard, how will you work through the worry?
Christ-followers do worry, even if we shouldn't. It's just natural. Jesus knew that people would feel anxious, and so he reminded those who walked with him to consider the ravens and to look upon the flowers. This simple illustration would tell them that there is a way to fly above worry and to remain rooted and planted when the winds of change come. Instead of letting anxiety get the last word, you should seek God first and see how much he values you.
God can free you from the anxiety.
There is a story in the gospel that talks about two sisters, Mary and Martha, who were friends of Jesus. When he shows up at their home, Martha is feeling vulnerable and pressured to have things just right. Jesus patiently tells her that she is pulled away by worry, and this is a distraction.
Martha wanted Jesus to do something about it, wondering if God even cares? Mary living in the same home, sets things aside to get close to Jesus. Mary decides to cast her care on him (1 Peter 5:7). Instead of running around, the one thing she does is open her heart to his presence.
"Jesus didn't have a superpower against anxiety. He had a trusting relationship with his Father, and he wanted to please him" – Consider the Ravens.
When we're weighed down by the breaking news and the facts are mingled with fear, remember the birds and the flowers. Remember your worth. Remember like a useless tattered jacket to cast worry off you. When troubles come close, that's an indication to get even closer to God.
He will keep you calm and help you carry on.
"It is not God's will that you lead a life of perpetual anxiety; it is not his will that you face every day with dread and trepidation. He made you for more he as a new chapter for your life, and he is ready to write it" -Max Lucado
While we are still getting through it, let's live connected! We have a community of people that can walk together with us. We have a great resource in Christ, full of wisdom and encouragement.
For further inspiration, read: Matthew 6:25 - 34